Rapid-deployment dinghies part of £500,000 investment in water rescue by South Yorkshire fire service
It comes after two tragic drownings in South Yorkshire in 2026
South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue has invested nearly £500,000 in its ability to respond to water rescue and flood emergencies.
They include two new inflatable rescue craft at a cost of £14,000 each which can be transported and inflated at the scene of an incident.
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£14,000 was also invested in specialist rescue sleds for fire stations at Tankersley, Adwick, Dearne, Cudworth and Rivelin that can be deployed on still water such as in floods.
£11,000 was spent on new thermal water rescue jackets for firefighters that also stand out clearly for people in trouble in bodies of water.
But the largest investment is the conversion of two Mercedes Sprinter vehicles into specialist water rescue units.
At a total cost of £194,000, the purpose-built vehicles include dedicated changing facilities and equipment storage that make them a better fit for water-related incidents both in South Yorkshire and nationally.
Head of Emergency Response, John Billings, said: "Water and flood rescue incidents can be extremely challenging and time-critical, so it's vital that our firefighters have access to the best possible equipment.
"These investments strengthen our ability to protect communities across South Yorkshire while also supporting wider regional and national resilience arrangements. The new equipment and vehicles will help us respond more effectively, make quicker decisions at incidents and provide our crews with the tools they need to carry out rescues safely."
It comes after a number of water related tragedies in South Yorkshire in 2025.
There is currently no statutory duty on fire and rescue services in England to respond to water incidents in England, limiting the resources they can allocate to water safety and rescue, resulting in differences in equipment, training and standards between fire and rescue services.
There is also currently no dedicated, continuous funding for fire and rescue service inland water safety response and prevention work.
They include 16-year-old Muhammed Secka, who drowned after getting trouble in the water at Rother Valley Country Park on May 25.
Just two weeks later, 11-year-old Mackenzie Swift disappeared while playing in the River Don near his home in Mexborough. His body was recovered on June 2, after a desperate 48-hour search by emergency services.